Slam Stewart

[alavakian]

Yes, Slam was the only bassist that could cut it with Art Tatum. I spent hours at the Three Deuces listening to Art, Slam and Tiny Grimes. In my opinion, as great at Art Tatum was, he was primarily a soloist. He was not a bassists piano player. He always crowded in on the soloists. This used to annoy Slam. The best "bass-man" pianists of that period were guys like Al Haig, Johnnie Guarnieri, Jimmy Jones, and of course later, Ahmad Jamal. They'd give the bass men lots of space.

[mainefiddle]

You actually saw Art Tatum and Slam in person! I was born in the wrong decade!

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by alavakian

Yes, Slam was the only bassist that could cut it with Art Tatum. I spent hours at the Three Deuces listening to Art, Slam and Tiny Grimes. In my opinion, as great at Art Tatum was, he was primarily a soloist. He was not a bassists piano player. He always crowded in on the soloists. This used to annoy Slam. The best "bass-man" pianists of that period were guys like Al Haig, Johnnie Guarnieri, Jimmy Jones, and of course later, Ahmad Jamal. They'd give the bass men lots of space.

Man, you nailed it when you mention Ahmad! Besides being one of Miles' favorites....can you imagine playing with a cat that gives you so much room.
Mr. Crosby was one of the few guys that could handle that!

[alavakian]

There's a great article about Israel Crosby showing examples of his stuff and an in-depth discography in the current issue of Bass World.

[alavakian]

Oh yes. While in high school we use to listen to (no tv in those days) "the afternoon swing session" emceed by one Symphony Sid. He use to play a lot of Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Slam Stewart records. We were heavily into the new kind of music before it was called "be-bop." Anyway, Symphony Sid would announce where all these jazz greats were playing, so a bunch of us would frequent the
52nd street joints like the three deuces (my favorite), the spotlight, Onyx club, Hickory House and Kelly's Stable. After
a few years, around 1948, be-bop became more commercialized and places like Bop City and Birdland replaced the smaller 52nd street joints. I haven't been back there years but read where they they have plaques of jazz musicians on 52nd st. just like the stars in Hollywood.